How to Pack a Moving Truck
With a bit of planning, packing up your life and moving to a new location is not as daunting as it may seem. At least, it doesn’t have to be.
As long as you aren’t moving cross-country in a single day, this is one of those times where careful planning and organization can pay off in the end.
Below are five steps that will help you get packed up and ready to move so that once you arrive at your destination, all you have to do is unpack your belongings and start living.
1. Get the right packing supplies
You’ll need a lot of supplies for this, so get everything you need on your next payday before you begin. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Boxes
- Moving tape
- Bubble wrap and packing paper
- Markers to label the boxes
- Furniture pads
- Protective blankets for furniture and other heavy items
- A dolly with two wheels to move all those heavy boxes from room to room, upstairs, and into the truck
2. Determine the size and type of moving truck you need
You need to determine the right truck size that fits your needs adequately. This is primarily determined by the amount of stuff you have to move.
If you’re moving from one furnished apartment to another, likely, you will not need as large of a truck as someone who is moving out of a five-bedroom home into another five-bedroom house.
The type of furniture and appliances will also determine what size truck you need. A bed, for example, takes up more space than an end table.
Another factor determining how much space your belongings take up in the truck is whether or not they are disassembled (for example, if your bed frame has been taken apart).
3. Disassemble the furniture
As you head to the furniture store and get a quote for your move, it’s essential to understand what size truck you’ll need. The length of the truck should be about three times the length of your upholstery furniture plus half a foot for every inch of width.
That means if you’ve got a piece that’s 24 inches wide, you’ll need a moving truck that’s at least 36 inches wide just to make sure everything fits appropriately. The key is saving space.
If you don’t have enough room in the truck to fit all your stuff properly, then take out some furniture before loading up. But no matter how much space there is on the list of items you’re taking with you, sometimes there is just not enough room on a moving company’s truck.
4. Load the truck properly
Begin by placing any heavy items in the back of the truck, closest to the cab. This will help keep your heavier boxes from crushing lighter boxes and your belongings while driving on bumpy roads or making sharp turns.
Next, place all of your large furniture pieces inside, leaving a foot or two between them and the truck’s walls so that you have room to secure them with rope or straps later on.
If you have any appliances like washers, dryers, refrigerators, or stoves as part of your move, be sure to load those next (at this point, it’s also a good idea to secure these with straps).
Finally, load up all remaining boxes and other lightweight items near the front of the truck to avoid overloading it.
To ensure that no one side is too heavy with cargo—this is potentially dangerous for driving—be sure that when you’re loading up boxes and other items into your moving truck rental, you spread things out evenly from side to side and front to back.
5. Secure your moving truck
You must evaluate your requirements in choosing a moving truck. Get an estimate of the distance that you are moving from one city to another and calculate what would be the best-sized moving truck for you.
You can get quotes from a couple of companies on the internet or through their customer service.
Also, ask about the insurance protection that they offer. Some companies provide insurance protection with every rental, while others include it in your rental package, and some don’t offer any at all.
It’s essential to secure your belongings during transit, so look for a moving company that provides insurance protection when you rent a truck.
Knowing how to pack a moving truck can indeed make moving easier. You may also take advantage of furniture movers and find one that can assist with moving all your furniture and belongings into your new home.
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